Machine for pumping fluids fkom wells



Jan. 5 ,1926.

1,568,516 A. H. LOW

MACHIINE FOR PUMPING FLUIDS FROM WELLS Filed July 21, 1923 12 26 I I 5x25 4 11 4 4 I 20 J 1 1? Z7 15 I 11 1s 3-" g ns 17 r 18 14 I J'Q' 16 M 27 Ii? 7 (722w)? for.

Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

1,568,516 PATENT orrica.

UNITED STATES ALVIN H. LOW, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR PUMPING FLUIDS FROM WELLS.

Application filed July 21, 1923.

' ful Improvement in Machines for Pumping Fluid from Wells, of which the following is a specification.

My invention lessens the ordinary cost of fitting deep wellsforpumping, and avoids all friction in the well except that of the plunger in the working-barrel or cylinder.

The method heretofore in vogue, suspends the discharge tube from the casing head or other support, above-ground, with the working-barrel attached to the lower end of said discharge tube, within which tube. is the sucker-rod to lift the fluid from the well to the surface through the said discharge tube, which operation is attended with much friction and unnecessary'tubing; whereas, my invention supports the working-barrel by means of an anchor, resting upon or near the bottom of the well, and instead of the discharge tube and sucker-rod suspended from above-ground, I use a single tube, which performs the functions of both discharge tube and sucker-rod.

The accompanying drawing is designed to illustrate a vertical section of an oil well with machinery embodying my invention, the several parts of which are designated by figures and numerals and described as follows:

Figure 1 is a View in vertical section of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a View in section thereof as seen on a line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

F gure 3 is a view in section as seen on a line 3--3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Figure 4 is a view in section as seen on a line 44 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated.

5 well containing fluid such as oil or water to a level indicated at 6. 7 casing (with perforations of) lining the well and terminating at the bottom 8. Upon the ground surface 9 a tank 10 is provided for receiving the discharge from the pump. 11 pump working-barrel; 12 fenders integral therewith for guiding and preventing vibration. 13 bore of said working-barrel in which reciprocates plunger 14 which comprises hol- Serial No. 653,023.

low plunger rod 15 open at end as at 16 and provided with downwardly turned or invertedleather cups 17 held thereon by nuts 18. 19 valve seat to accommodate ball-valve 20. 21 head screwed to working-barrel formed with a guide 22 through which passes discharge tube 23 and provided with ports 24. Discharge tube is attached to hollow plunger rod 15 by means of coupling 25 within which ball-valve is trapped. Lower end of discharge tube 23 is screw threaded to screw into coupling and provided with slots 26 so that fluid may flow freely around the ball 20 should said ball be forced against lower end of discharge tube 23. Working-barrel13 is provided at lower end'with tapered valve seat 27, on which rests ball valve 27. 28 suction pipethe upper extension of anchor weight 33with perforations 29 leading to bore 30 of said pipe. Suction-pipe 28 is attached to working-barrel and has screw threaded lower end 31 attached to fender or guide flange 32. 33 is the anchor-weight at its lowest point but extending upward to the working-barrel; the pipes 28, and 34 and all other apparatus below the working-barrel 11 being essentially a part of said anchor-weight.

35 is a walking-beam or other power attachment. 36 combined cap and yoke at tached to walking-beam by gudg-eon pin 37.

Between last two sections of tube a discharge spout 38 is provided which is formed with annular discharge space 39 and a discharge bore 40 connecting therewith.

With my invention any eflicient plunger may be used, but with the style provided with friction cups made of leather or other flexible material, said cups as heretofore used are adjusted so as to do their most efficient service on the up stroke of the plunger; whereas, with my invention said cups are inverted, so as to do their greatest work on the down stroke of the plunger, which down stroke is impelled largely or wholly by the weight of the discharge tube 23. By the old method also, the upturned cups ather sand, if any, which tends to wear them out and mar the inner surface of the workingbarrel; while with my invention said cups. being inverted drive said sands down, affording no lodgement for the same.

By adding to my combination herein illustrated, a counterbalance weight such as is in common use in pumping oil wells, or as illustrated in Patent No. 202,841 issued to me, dated April 23d, 1878, not shown herein but to which reference is hereby made, a much greater saving of power required is made'over the old method-to the extent of the elimination of all the friction of the SUClI'BXf-I'OClS on the discharge tube containing them.

The anchor 33 at the bottom of the well in my invention, and which extends up and is attached to the lower end of the Workingbarrel 115, being also perforated to admit the fluid into the working-barrel, should be so rigid as to hold said working-barrel as firmly as may be in the center of the well or casing, and in diameter small enough to admit of its being lifted out of the well when desired; and when a long string of pipe or rods is required for anchorage purposes, fenders 32 should be attached at desirable distances apart to prevent vibration.

The anchor 33-34 may be in any form suited to the purpose of supporting the worlcing-barrel and holding it so rigidly as to prevent the friction of the plunger or cups on the up stroke from lifting the working-lmrrel.

I do not limit myself to the use of a spe citic form or number of fenders. In very shallow wells no fender may be required.

Any appliance that will assist inmaintaining the working-barrel in a perpendicular position may be used for that purpose.

I am aware that I am not the original inventor of each of the parts herein described, separately, and do not claim such broadly; but

I claim:

The combination, in a machine for pump-- ing fluids from wells, of a working-barrel,

an upper valve, a lower valve, a hollow plunger, a head to the working-barrel, an anchor. a coupling trap for the upper valve, and a discharge tube .When in the Well, the working-barrel is located at any desired point; the lower valve located within and at the bottom of the working-barrel; the upper valve located within said coupling; the said head being attached to the upper end of the working-barrel and serving as guide to the said discharge tube and a bar to the removal of the plunger while within the well; said anchor being attached to the lower end of the working-barrel and extending down to the bottom of the well, and of suti'e cient weight to prevent the up stroke of the plunger from ralsing the working-barrel, yet light and free enough to be withdrawn from the well along with the other apparatus therein when desired; the lower end of said coupling being attached to the upper end of the plunger and its upper end being attached to the lower end of said discharge tube, said tube being slotted at its lower end and projecting into the coupling whereb a passage is provided about the valve when the latter is forced to its upper position against the lower end of the tube, such tube performing the functions of discharge tube and sucker-rod, its lower end connected with the plunger by the said coupling, and its upper end protruding from the well above, and ad justable to any machinery adapted to give it the necessary up and down motion in the. work of pumping; all substantially as, and for the purposes described, set forth and shown.

ALVIN H. LOlV. 

